Michael Beachhas joined Lance Gross in the cast of NBC’syet-to-be-titled drama pilot from writer/executive producer Rand Ravich,
which is described as an emotionally-charged political action thriller
set in Washington DC, and will follow Marcus Finley (played by Gross),
who’s an idealistic Secret Service agent who finds himself at the center
of an international crisis on his first day on the job as the
President’s son’s protection, when the son, along with several of his
schoolmates, are kidnapped.

Beach willplay the FBI Director who’s managing the crisis. So, two black actors in starring roles in this untitled pilot. Let’s see how this goes…

Secondly, Page Kennedy has joined Dennis Haysbert in the CBS drama pilot Backstrom, from writer Hart Hanson, based on the Swedish book series that centers on Everett Backstrom, an overweight, hot-tempered detective who tries, and fails, to change his self-destructive behavior.

Haysbert will play John Almond, a detective working with Backstrom (who’ll be played by Rainn Wilson).

Kennedy (who most recently starred in the second season of the Spike TV sports comedy series, Blue Mountain State) will play an Officer Frank Moto, who’s a member of the Special Crimes Unit.

Third, Mike Colterhas joined the cast ofCBS’ drama pilotSurgeon General, which centers on the life of the USA Surgeon General Dr. John Sherman (played by Jason Isaacs).

Colter (who has had recurring roles on The Good WifeandThe Following) will play a Dr. McCallan, described as the epidemiologist on Dr Sherman’s staff.

And finally, James Earl has been cast in the TBS comedy pilotGround Floor, which takes the Romeo and Juliet story into the workplace, and follows a Harvard grad played by Skylar Astin, who falls hard for a feisty, uneducated though intelligent maintenance supervisor played by Briga Heelan.

Earl (who’ll likely most be remembered for his 17 episodes on Glee) will play a character named Derrick, who’s described as a laid-back guy who works with the maintenance supervisor.